Description

To the right of Run For Your Life, on the other side of the Tumbling Rainbow, is this beautiful featured face. Start as for Rainy Day Dream Away, climbing up thin cracks past a piton to the first bolt. Trend left, then up the face past four more bolts. Athletic pulls from perfect brown patina edges provide the crux. Well bolted but still exciting, especially at the beginning. Rappel from the top with a 60 meter rope.

Location

Tumbling Rainbow formation. It is possible to approach via Run For Your Life or from the other side; either way, some exposed traversing/climbing is involved.

Protection

Quickdraws; optional small cams/nuts for start. A blue Camalot or other similar gear provides a belay anchor at the start.

I was working on Tonic Boom right next door. The shameful colored bolts were in (God, I hope they have been replaced!) and Roy McClenahan, myself and Doug McDonald were trying the unlikely opening moves. The "Tonic" was looking pretty unlikely for our team, so Roy, in a state of boredom, decided to pull the old RURP that protected the opening moves of Rainy Day Dream Away, and then plop in a couple bolts to link up with the already bolted top section of Tonic Boom. Done deal. Tic Tic Boom was born. I believe it was named after a girl we knew in Yosemite Valley that had a head shaped like a bathysphere or a fully expanded bomb containment bag. Tic... Tic.... BOOM!

I like the face behind the name. I'll admit that I had to refresh my understanding of the word 'bathysphere'; it turns out the word is very literal in its descriptive power. I can't recall any offensively colored bolts when I was on Tic Tic a couple of years back, but I wasn't looking closely. I'll have to take another look at Tonic some time, because years ago (5? 6?) it seemed that holds were missing; the thing appeared impossible. Judging from your description, there's probably some trickery and/or thuggery required!